Top-100 Hockey Players of All-Time - Round 2, Vote 19

[BraveCanadian]

I think part of what makes Keon's offensive resume appear weak is that his offense never took off after the 1967 expansion like it did for so many others. In the Original Six era though, I'm in agreement. 25 goal/55 point seasons while being the primary defensive center on a very defensive-oriented team is not what I'd term weak.

Keon taking three minor penalties in 92 playoff games almost defies belief. If there's a player out there whose case can be boosted by disciplined play, it's him. The percentages say that every sixth penalty a player takes costs his team a goal against. Keon took so few that it doesn't seem unreasonable to say his discipline alone was worth a few goals per season compared to other elite players.

There is definitely value in it. Here is how Keon put it in this old MacLean's article "Why Dave Keon is the "best" player in hockey" (keep in mind this is early in his career):

In an interview' not long ago, I asked Keon how he explained this apparent anomaly — for an NHL star — of being good at stopping people and also good at playing within the rules. After a long pause — he is a very earnest young man — he said: "There’s nothing strange about that. When you're checking right you shouldn't get penalties. It's when you miss a check that you want to trip a man or slash at him.”

Why Dave Keon is the "best” player in hockey | Maclean's | MARCH 23 1963

 

[Michael Farkas]

Voted. I was a little rattled by all the active players and ranking some in an order that isn't reflective of how good they currently are...

 

[quoipourquoi]

Could use another ballot or two. Have a three-way tie for 5th.

 

[Hockey Outsider]

Could use another ballot or two. Have a three-way tie for 5th.

I'll be sending mine in within the hour.

 

[MXD]

I'm casting mine as we speak. I apologize in advance for f***ing up everything.

 

[quoipourquoi]

Player	Ballots	Points	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	NR
Bill Gadsby	16	111	4	2	1	1	2	4	1		1		5
Joe Thornton	16	106	3	3	1	1	1	3	3			1	5
Nels Stewart	13	90	3	1	2	1	3		2		1		8
Patrick Kane	15	85	2	1	2	2	2			4		2	6
Duncan Keith	15	85	1	1	2	4	1	1	1		3	1	6
Brian Leetch	15	82	1	1	2	2		3	3	1	1	1	6
Dave Keon	12	80	1	3	1	3	2					2	9
Eric Lindros	12	78	2	1	1		3	4		1			9
Mark Howe	14	66	1	1	2		1	2	2		2	3	7
Eddie Gerard	11	64		3	2	1	1			1	2	1	10
Martin St. Louis	10	57		3	1	1	1			2	1	1	11
Sid Abel	10	44			2	2			1	2	1	2	11
Tony Esposito	8	41	1			1	1	1	2	1	1		13
Serge Savard	7	37	1		1		1		1	3			14
Jarome Iginla	7	29	1		1					2	2	1	14
Erik Karlsson	6	26				1		2	1	1	1		15
Toe Blake	8	24				1	1		1		2	3	13
Valeri Vasiliev	5	24		1			1	1		1		1	16
Norm Ullman	5	13							2		2	1	16
Peter Stastny	5	13							1	2	1	1	16

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[seventieslord]

Player	Ballots	Points	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	NR
Bill Gadsby	16	111	4	2	1	1	2	4	1		1		5
Joe Thornton	16	106	3	3	1	1	1	3	3			1	5
Nels Stewart	13	90	3	1	2	1	3		2		1		8
Patrick Kane	15	85	2	1	2	2	2			4		2	6
Duncan Keith	15	85	1	1	2	4	1	1	1		3	1	6
Brian Leetch	15	82	1	1	2	2		3	3	1	1	1	6
Dave Keon	12	80	1	3	1	3	2					2	9
Eric Lindros	12	78	2	1	1		3	4		1			9
Mark Howe	14	66	1	1	2		1	2	2		2	3	7
Eddie Gerard	11	64		3	2	1	1			1	2	1	10
Martin St. Louis	10	57		3	1	1	1			2	1	1	11
Sid Abel	10	44			2	2			1	2	1	2	11
Tony Esposito	8	41	1			1	1	1	2	1	1		13
Serge Savard	7	37	1		1		1		1	3			14
Jarome Iginla	7	29	1		1					2	2	1	14
Erik Karlsson	6	26				1		2	1	1	1		15
Toe Blake	8	24				1	1		1		2	3	13
Valeri Vasiliev	5	24		1			1	1		1		1	16
Norm Ullman	5	13							2		2	1	16
Peter Stastny	5	13							1	2	1	1	16

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

This is the week you decide to release the results just 10 minutes after the deadline???

with just 16 votes? come on...

 

[quoipourquoi]

This is the week you decide to release the results just 10 minutes after the deadline???

with just 16 votes? come on...

21 votes.

 

[Canadiens1958]

This is the week you decide to release the results just 10 minutes after the deadline???

with just 16 votes? come on...

There were at least 21. Using Gadsby he was ranked on 16, unranked on 5, so 21 total ballots.

 

[seventieslord]

21 votes.

sorry. But still. Couldn't there have been a warning or something? You get so used to the deadline being, like, extremely lax, and then this.

 

[seventieslord]

I just added up what would have happened if my ballot was counted. Kane and Keon would have tied for 4th/5th, bumping Leetch to the next ballot. Whatever. He'll get in.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

I'll go on record as saying I'd personally have no problem with a ballot that was a few minutes late being counted.

 

[ChiTownPhilly]

The vibe I got is that QPQ was looking to move things along- so I didn't feel taken by surprise by the tight deadline.

The fan in me is happy to see Gadsby, Kane, and Keith ascend.
The analyst in me isn't quite so sure, though.

Having trouble squaring widespread support for Thornton with widespread opprobrium for Tony Esposito. [For the record, I was kind of down on both of 'em.] Don't they have the same Primary Strength, and the same Primary Weakness?!?

I wouldn't be devastated by the omission of Toe Blake... but I was surprised to find that balloting for him was so soft.